You hear it all the time, but you know you said "never" anyway. Well I'm sure I've said a few times that I'll never miss the newspaper business or that I will never work for another paper. But every once in a while I'll admit it, I kind of miss being a photojournalist.

Now, don't get me wrong. I won't be going out to apply for a full-time job at a newspaper tomorrow. There are quite a few things I don't miss about being a newspaper photographer including the strange and unpredictable hours, and the (let's just say teachers shouldn't complain about their salary unless they've worked at a newspaper) pay.

But I do miss taking photos of a wide variety of people, places and events each day and getting to see my work published 365 days of the year. Most of all though, I miss the perks and experiences...getting to go behind the scenes where most people can't go, getting to meet some pretty incredible and sometimes famous people and enjoying a few little adventures on the side.

So, without trying to brag, here's a list of some my favorite memories as a newspaper photographer (in no specific order)...

1. Being in the best seat in the house for Craig Biggio's last baseball game.

2. Flying in a Stearman (on my "bucket" list) at the Wings Over Houston media day. Then, the next year I got to fly in a 4-plane formation of T-6s at media day.

3. Listening to stories of a former WASP (Woman Airforce Service Pilot) who flew P-51s.

4. Watching a live filming of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

5. Holding a lion cub that visited Houston Raceway Park (now the Royal Purple Raceway).

6. Getting to ride and tour boats of all sorts, for stories on sailing field trips, Trinity River tours, wake skaters and the history of the Battleship of Texas.

7. Getting an up close view of the Budweiser Clydesdales.

8. Following the Bayou Bowl football players around for a week (three different summers) to places like Schlitterbahn and the Kemah Boardwalk.

9. Helping Jane Howard Lee herd ducks across a busy road in Baytown, so they didn't get run over.

10. And last, but definitely not least, shaking hands with President George H. Bush while walking to my dugout box before an Astros game at Minute Maid Park. Too bad I didn't get a photo of this one.

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